causeofdeathfandomcom-20200214-history
Unmasked
Unmasked is the fifth chapter of Volume 1: The Maskmaker. It was released along with the five other chapters of the volume on December 16, 2010. Plot After Dr. Rose's death, Mal and Natara return to the Pacific Heights home to investigate the Maskmaker's lair. There, they are greeted by Eric Mills, with whom they discuss the details of the house. It is revealed that the house is leased to an individual by the name of Michael Resler. They conclude that it must be a pseudonym, as there are no living persons with that name. The investigation continues. In the back room of the basement, Mal and Natara find a photograph of a young woman with bright red hair holding hands with a little boy. The boy's face has been cut out with scissors, whereas the girl's face has been violently scratched out. Natara concludes that the boy must have hated the girl, whom she guesses is his older sister. The chapter then cuts to a flashback. A boy and his teenage sister are posing for a photograph. The boy does not smile, to which the sister responds with verbal and physical abuse. The boy runs away, and slams his forehead into a metal rail repeatedly out of frustration, screaming "It's not fair!" Back in the present, Mal texts an image of the photo to Amy, so she can analyze it at the lab. He then flips it over to find an address printed on the back. While Natara continues to search the lair, Mal visits the home at the address. There, he encounters an old woman, who informs him that a family once lived in the house—a mother and two children—but it is now empty. She states that a man pays her via checks in the mail to upkeep the home. Mal investigates the basement and finds a hidden compartment filled with animal skulls. The chapter cuts to another flashback, showing the boy torturing a small bird in the basement to his sister's horror. Mal returns to the Pacific Heights home and tells Natara of his findings. She purports that Dr. Rose could not have killed the animals, as he grew up in Wisconsin, not the San Francisco bay area. He also did not have a sister; he was an only child. After examining the basement further, Mal and Natara discover a safe. Other clues in the room lead them to the conclusion that the password is "Rebecca," the name of the Maskmaker's sister. Inside the safe is a child-sized white mask. The chapter cuts to a flashback once again, showing Rebecca tormenting her little brother. She tells him he is a "stain" that needs to be covered up, and forces the mask over his face. It is revealed by the children's mother that the boy will be sent to a mental institution after one last family vacation together. Deeper in the safe is a photograph and a large map. The photograph is a crime scene photo of a young woman's body on a rocky shore, covered by a white sheet. A building with barred windows can be seen in the background. The map is of the San Francisco Bay, and shows Xes where each of the four kills were made. Natara finds a connection between all of the pieces of evidence- Alcatraz Island. Mal calls Amy and asks her to search for information about any deaths at Alcatraz in 1990. Amy finds an article about a teenage girl named Rebecca Resler who died at Alcatraz in 1990. She notes that the police suspected foul play. Rebecca's brother, Brian Resler, is the only surviving member of the girl's family. He was institutionalized in 1991, at the age of twelve, and released in 2006. Mal informs Amy that Brian Resler is the Maskmaker. Amy locates his records in the mental institute's archives, and is shocked to see a photo of Eric Mills on the file. Having heard his name, Eric bursts into the laboratory. Amy quickly hangs up the phone and shuts off the computer's monitor. After suspiciously questioning Amy, Eric instructs her to go home. Just as she is about to leave, however, Eric turns on the monitor and sees his photo and file on the screen. He attacks Amy, paralyzes her, pulls a fire alarm, and escapes with her. Characters *Mal Fallon *Natara Williams *Lance Boggs *Eric Mills/Brian Resler/The Maskmaker *Rebecca Resler *Amy Chen *William Rye *Old lady Category:Chapters Category:Volume 1: The Maskmaker